President John Pombe Magufuli of Tanzania is still adamant and will not impose movement restrictions to fight the coronavirus pandemic despite a sharp increase in infections over the past few weeks.
Tanzania on Wednesday confirmed 284 cases with 10 deaths, a sharp rise from 20 cases and one death at the start of April. Close to 75 % of the cases arise from the commercial capital, Dar es Salaam.
“There are calls to lock down Dar es Salaam, we will never do that. This is our main port city and accounts for around 80% of government revenue,” Magufuli said in a televised to security chiefs on Wednesday.
Opposition leaders also upped their criticism of Magufuli’s response to the coronavirus outbreak, after he stated that he was not going to close down places of worship.
The chairman of the opposition Civic United Front party, Ibrahim Lipumba, told VOA that government statements on the virus should focus on prevention. If people continue gathering in crowds, he said, there will be a danger.
At a Sunday service this week, President Magufuli said the virus is "demonic" and could not thrive in holy places.
“We are not closing places of worship. That’s where there is true healing. Corona is the devil and it cannot survive in the body of Jesus,” the President stated.
Supporters say the President's pledge to keep churches open is designed to comfort people and prevent fear over the coronavirus.
A resident in Bukoba, John Mwamkinga, stressed that he is less afraid of the virus after the President’s relaxed stance on closing places of worship.
When the faithful to go to mosques and churches, they wash their hands. They believe this is the best way to prevent the disease and that they don't believe people gathering together could bring negative effects.
Recent studies have shown that the Novel Coronavirus is airborne and close proximity to individuals who may be asymptomatic may lead to some level of transmission.
But just like other countries; Tanzania has taken steps to contain the spread of Coronavirus by closing schools, quarantining foreign arrivals, and banning public events.
However, experts believe Magufuli's government is not doing enough, his refusal to close down churches and a spiralling transport system will accelerate the spread.
The World Health Organisation cautioned against Tanzania’s mild response to COVID-19, to date public transportation is still running, with dire implications for the spread of COVID-19.
Passengers are routinely crammed into buses, with riders overflowing the seats and aisles, putting them at a higher risk of transmission.
Experts warned that social distancing is essential to limiting the spread of the coronavirus, which has infected more than 2,754,506 people worldwide and killed at least 192,377.
President Magufuli also weighed in on the virus quarantine period saying there was no sense in keeping people for a very long time when they have tested negative, yet science reveals that the virus can thrive in asymptomatic cases for close to 14 days or more without an individual showing any symptoms.
The President went as far as banning fumigation in Dar es Salaam and other parts of the country, saying the exercise is only effective in eliminating mosquitoes and cockroaches, and not ridding an area of coronavirus.
“From today (Wednesday, April 22), I order that the Ministry of Health stops all fumigation exercises in Tanzania. Unless we are ridding cities of mosquitoes and cockroaches, I do not want to see any fumigation taking place,” he said.
Magufuli also directed the Ministry of Health that all face masks donated from abroad should be tested to confirm that they are not laced with coronavirus.
“We shouldn’t trust anything donated to us by foreigners, we could be catching coronavirus from the masks donated to us. We must interrogate who manufactured the face masks who are donating them and the motive of their generosity,” he directed.
As Tanzania’s coronavirus cases continue to soar, the effects are being felt in neighbouring countries like Uganda which has so far confirmed 8 Tanzanian truck drivers positive for the virus.
The Uganda Government is setting up stringent measures to control truck drivers coming into Uganda. Gen. Katumba Wamala, the Minister of Works and Transport on Wednesday said they will agree on a common position on how to handle the cargo truck drivers from neighbouring countries, who are so far the biggest challenge as Uganda strides to curb the outbreak.
According to DW Africa, President Magufuli has instructed the health ministry to allow traditional healers (herbalists) to contribute to the country’s fight against COVID-19.
Herbalists are famous in Tanzania where many people believe they can cure some ailments which hospitals cannot.
A controversial decision, as the quality of the services these herbalists provide has been called into question.
Comentários